Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to paint stripping compositions and more particularly to stripping compositions containing solvents that are safer than methylene chloride or methyl ethyl ketone.
Methylene chloride has been the primary solvent for many years in stripping compositions because it will quickly soften a wide range of finishes such as for example, lead paint, oil based paint and latex paint, for removal from a variety of surfaces, such as for example, metal, wood, or concrete. More recently, methyl ethyl ketone has been used in place of methylene chloride to accomplish similar results. Stripping compositions which do not contain either methylene chloride or methyl ethyl ketone are, of course, also known and used. These compositions, however, are usually adapted for specialized purposes and lack the capability of methylene chloride or methyl ethyl ketone to quickly soften a wide range of finishes applied to a wide range of surfaces. Consequently, methylene chloride and methyl ethyl ketone have long been the mainstays of stripping compositions.
One drawback to methylene chloride, however, is that it has been found to be carcinogenic. As a result, its use in stripping compositions, especially in the commercial industrial paint stripping industry, has become unpopular. Similar environmental and safety concerns over the use of methyl ethyl ketone as a solvent are also being raised. As such, utilization of methyl ethyl ketone as a solvent is also discouraged in the paint stripping industry. Furthermore, notwithstanding industrial use, most paint strippers that are available to retail customers, such as home owners, also contain either methylene chloride or methyl ethyl ketone, and eliminating the two solvents from such retail paint strippers would be desirable. Unfortunately, until now there has not been an adequate substitute for methylene chloride or methyl ethyl ketone which is effective to quickly soften the range of finishes described above.
In addition to the health risks posed by the above mentioned solvents, paint strippers which utilize these solvents often contain acids or caustics which may damage the metal or wood surface underlying the paint or other finish being stripped. The acid or caustic ingredients are corrosive and may burn the wood, raise the grain of the wood or discolor the metal surface. Damage to the underlying surface often results because of the tendency of the methylene chloride and methyl ethyl ketone to evaporate and leave behind the less volatile acids and caustics which then crystallize the paint or other finish. Multiple applications of the stripping compositions are then required in order to remove the crystallized paint. These additional applications further increase the likelihood that the underlying surface will be damaged, greatly increase the amount of stripping composition required to complete the stripping process, and thus, greatly increase exposure to these hazardous solvents.